I have just bought Bioshock after reading on review sites what a beautifully designed, well plotted game it was . Now, after playing about three hours of it, I'm considering trading it in.

Is it worth persevering with, or will it just deliver more of the same?

I was initially pleased that the game contained
1) spats
2) the ability to regain life points by eating packets of crisps out of bins.
3) setting swarms of wasps loose from your arm on giant robots

However the viewpoint, the dark, slightly claustrophobic environment, my cackhandedness with the viewpoint control and the fact that I have just encountered fast-moving monsters equipped with machine guns mean I spend all my fights staring at my shoes and random walls while a mutant woman I can't even see screams and hacks me to bits from behind.

It feel more like work than fun (As I think someone mentioned on a previous thread)

Also, first person view means that you can't really bond with the main character. This guy is just...hands. He doesn't even soliloquize.

I LOVED Resident Evil 4 and was pleasantly surprised at how quickly I finished Assassin's Creed (Don't get me started on the actual ending of the game).I appreciate the therapeutic value of strategically placed headshots after a hard day at work, even if I haven't played many shoot-em-ups

However, I'm really not feeling the love of Bioshock...but I like a challenge and I hate leaving things unfinished. Is this just a learning curve? Or is it the whole of the game?

I have to say there's a good chunk of it that feels like work. However, to contrast that, I stormed through the last few hours of it because I couldn't wait to see what happens. That being said your mileage may vary.

The learning curve certainly is challenging though.

I will say the idea of not identifying with the main character felt right to me. Without giving too much away, he doesn't know himself too much.

I thought it was a worthwhile experience over all, and worth seeing through a bit more at least.

Ehhhhh... there isn't really a main character to bond with - the main character is you.

If you're not enjoying the environment, I would put the game down. It doesn't get any better. I mean, it's GOOD - they have some amazing art in there... but on the other hand, if you're not enjoying it, just stop playing it.

I know how you feel - RE4 is widely praised, but I couldn't get into it. So don't force yourself. You'll get better with the aiming, but I found the control in Bioshock to be a bit janky - something I can't quite put my finger on... it just doesn't control as well as, say, COD4.

Caroline > My one problem with the game is that it's pretty much the same thing all the way through. I didn't feel like I was on a journey so much as playing one really long level. This is mostly due to the very consistent (for better or worse) level design in the game. For me, I was hooked on it during the opening sequence, which I think is one of the greatest in the history of gaming, but I have to admit that I was a little disappointed with the fact the game felt so small. Now, having worked on games, I did understand the challenges developers are faced with when it comes to creating games for next gen consoles, so it was obvious that they did a lot with what they did have. It's just the player side of me wanted a little more, even if only implied.

On the plus side, I did feel compelled to finish the game (something I don't often do) and there are some neat plot twists to keep the story entertaining. Also, the setup for the boss fight at the end is pretty cool.

I hope this helps somehow in making an informed decision. I actually like this game a lot, and look at it as a very worthy addition to my library, but I can see its drawbacks. Oh, and I also think Resident Evil 4 is pretty much a perfect game. I love it so much.

If you do end up trading this in, I would suggest giving the Naruto: Rise of a Ninja game a chance. It's like a simpler, more colorful version of Assassin's Creed (also developed by Ubisoft), and I find it to be a lot more fun and engaging.

I have not played this game, but I watched my brother play most of it. It does have a great hook. Really easy to get absorbed into the game. As great as the world is, I felt that the game started getting really frustrating for me as an audience. Some of the levels felt so tedious. At one point, you're pretty much grocery shopping for some mad man. All the characters are lunatics, similar to "Dead Rising". I'm kind of at the point where I just want to see the ending and find out where the madness comes from. Since he's beaten it before, I think i'll just ask him to cut to the chase.